I have been going to Shoppers for most of my groceries for years just because they have been cheaper overall by around 10%. Over the past month or so I began seeing TV ads for Giant with fake customers saying they went to Giant because of prices and I was like LOL ORLY because I sometimes go there when I need something quick but their prices weren't impressive.

Then I heard Shoppers in Fairfax City had jacked prices following a remodel or something and I started doing my own comparisons. To my great surprise Giant has pretty much broken even, at least for the crap I am buying. What I am suspecting is that Shoppers is pulling a move where since they have always been cheaper, people don't bother checking. I started wondering when I bought an 18-egg pack at Shoppers and it was close to $3.50. I was like "WTF, have the farm PACs really screwed us that bad with ethanol that eggs are this expensive?" but I checked Giant and it was down closer to $2.75. Bananas were also cheaper at Giant by 10 or 20 cents a pound. I haven't compared meat prices yet, but if those are comparable then I'm done with Shoppers.

Shoppers is dirty.

I wouldn't go into Shoppers even if it was 50% less. That place is a disgusting pig sty - not to mention the language barrier. I actually go to Harris Teeter. The quality of products, store cleanliness, and customer service is far better. I usually build a list online off of their specials and end up saving quite a bit. I had over $1500 in savings in 2007 alone for a family of 3. In addition, I got a $25 gift card to a store of my choice, a steamer/wok, a portable grill and other freebies as well. All you have to do is spend $40/week at one time to qualify for these promotions. Not that hard to do at all.

Shoppers, Food Lion, Bloom = dirty and poor aesthetics. I actually lose my appetite in the rare event I shop there. Giant and Safeway are clean, but seem to be overpriced with packaged / canned goods. Deli and butcher shop are ok.

Now, Harris Teeter rocks the house across the board. Wegmans would be my first choice variety and selection-wise, but you lose out on value. -§

I may try Harris Teeter more but I would need to look at these online sale lists. The couple times I have been in there, the basics seemed to be priced higher. That was out by Stone Ridge and maybe they jack it up for the snobby milfs out there to scarf up.

Over the last couple summers ive worked at Giant and shoppers as a deli person and a shelf stocker respectively and i have to say there is NO differance between cleanliness of stores. Also my dad makes my sister and I do the Grocery shopping for the family and gives us a budget so we take his Sunday paper, Get Coupons and read the flyers, look for double coupon days etc. There isnt really a price differance if you just look for stuff on sale ie Pop, Fruit, Veggies etc etc. Oh and quit buying NAME brands for God's sake. The generic and the name brands are mostly the same!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2008 03:21PM by ferfux.

ferfux Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Over the last couple summers ive worked at Giant
> and shoppers as a deli person and a shelf stocker
> respectively and i have to say there is NO
> differance between cleanliness of stores. Also my
> dad makes my sister and I do the Grocery shopping
> for the family and gives us a budget so we take
> his Sunday paper, Get Coupons and read the flyers,
> look for double coupon days etc. There isnt really
> a price differance if you just look for stuff on
> sale ie Pop, Fruit, Veggies etc etc. Oh and quit
> buying NAME brands for God's sake. The generic
> and the name brands are mostly the
> same!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First, people's perspectives on cleanliness are subjective. I doubt anyone here is saying that they have conducted tests to determine that there are more germs in one store versus another. Second, the store itself may be just as clean, but the clientele and employees may very well bring the perception of cleanliness down.

That being said, both Shoppers and Giant fail miserably in the perception of cleanliness. About 10-15 years ago, Giant was the gold standard in the DC suburbs for grocery stores. They have steadily declined to the point that there are very few that I would actually contemplate doing my shopping at. Consider this, I drive past a Safeway and Giant to get to my regular Harris Teeter. A Shoppers is also within driving distance, but as I said before, I would never step foot in it. Everything about the shopping experience is head and shoulders above their competition at Harris Teeter. Even the self checkout is a breeze compared to Giant's. Smart shopping by purchasing off their VIC specials, yields me savings beyond what I was spending at Giant.

> That being said, both Shoppers and Giant fail
> miserably in the perception of cleanliness. About
> 10-15 years ago, Giant was the gold standard in
> the DC suburbs for grocery stores. They have
> steadily declined to the point that there are very
> few that I would actually contemplate doing my
> shopping at. Consider this, I drive past a
> Safeway and Giant to get to my regular Harris
> Teeter. A Shoppers is also within driving
> distance, but as I said before, I would never step
> foot in it. Everything about the shopping
> experience is head and shoulders above their
> competition at Harris Teeter. Even the self
> checkout is a breeze compared to Giant's. Smart
> shopping by purchasing off their VIC specials,
> yields me savings beyond what I was spending at
> Giant.



Do you WORK for Harris teeter or something? The Harris teeter in downtown FX near the Courthouse, before it closed was godawful. The Entire place always ALWAYS smelled like FISH and Seafood throughout the entire store. The Clerks couldnt care less that you were asking questions. and AND you had to shove your Cart into an elevator to get to items on the second floor. That alone inconvenienced the shopping trip a great deal! The VIC card is fine but you get the same savings using a FOOD Lion/Giant/Shoppers preferred customer card.

ferfux Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do you WORK for Harris teeter or something? The
> Harris teeter in downtown FX near the Courthouse,
> before it closed was godawful. The Entire place
> always ALWAYS smelled like FISH and Seafood
> throughout the entire store. The Clerks couldnt
> care less that you were asking questions. and AND
> you had to shove your Cart into an elevator to get
> to items on the second floor. That alone
> inconvenienced the shopping trip a great deal!
> The VIC card is fine but you get the same savings
> using a FOOD Lion/Giant/Shoppers preferred
> customer card.


No, I don't work for Harris Teeter and I have never visited the one in downtown Fairfax. I am, however, very brand loyal when I find a product or service that knows how to deliver quality. I use the one in Arlington at Lee/Harrison. I agree that similar savings are available at other stores, but then I have to mix with the other scum that frequent them. It is apparent HT is a big force in the area. Other stores are even copying the business model. As for the second floor shopping, it is a bit of a hastle if you want something up there (which is rare for me), but it does allow for wider aisles on the first level which is a huge improvement over the 2 foot wide aisles in shoppers or giant.

Shoppers in Burke is pretty clean. You have to remember the area you are in first. If you get some low life area then the customers will drop and spill things on the floor. I have seen bums eating right out of the food bar and then walk around the store eating bags of cookies for dessert.
The Giant in Burke is not as clean as it used to be.
I will often pay the extra bucks to shop where I do not have to mingle with some lady covered in bed sheets and smelling like a goat or some spanish speaking woman with six kids all of them eating away in the produce section.

Very Important Customer Wrote:

>
> No, I don't work for Harris Teeter and I have
> never visited the one in downtown Fairfax. I am,
> however, very brand loyal when I find a product or
> service that knows how to deliver quality. I use
> the one in Arlington at Lee/Harrison. I agree
> that similar savings are available at other
> stores, but then I have to mix with the other scum
> that frequent them. It is apparent HT is a big
> force in the area. Other stores are even copying
> the business model. As for the second floor
> shopping, it is a bit of a hastle if you want
> something up there (which is rare for me), but it
> does allow for wider aisles on the first level
> which is a huge improvement over the 2 foot wide
> aisles in shoppers or giant.


You are either a Very Ignorant Expensive jeans or a humble Lacky to the corporate Ogre. Eager to indulge their whims of branding despite what common sense and your own dollars tell you. Good Luck and enjoy Harris teeter. You should try driving to Lake Anne shopping centre in reston and visit that small Gocerey on the plaza. Goat tongues for all.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2008 05:32PM by ferfux.

dirty bird Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Shoppers is dirty.

ridin' dirty? -- chia pet millionaire for the win! \o/


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Gravis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> dirty bird Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Shoppers is dirty.
>
> ridin' dirty? -- chia pet millionaire for the win!
> \o/


Rollin tonight Gravis?

ferfux Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------->
> You are either a Very Ignorant Expensive jeans or
> a humble Lacky to the corporate Ogre. Eager to
> indulge their whims of branding despite what
> common sense and your own dollars tell you. Good
> Luck and enjoy Harris teeter. You should try
> driving to Lake Anne shopping centre in reston and
> visit that small Gocerey on the plaza. Goat
> tongues for all.

Neither, dipshit. I just got back from the teet and saved $35.05 on my $87 purchase. Giant can't even come close. Look, HT has revived the grocery store in this region. I log on, make my list for the week on the VIC specials, send it to my handheld and shop with ease. I can plan the weekly menu this way too. Plus, the list is specific to the store, so it is organized according to the store layout. I'd like to see Giant do that.

Now, ferfag, get back to work, clean up on aisle 5. Talking about slaves, you work for $10/hr at shit grocery stores.

Very Important Customer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>>
> Neither, dipshit. I just got back from the teet
> and saved $35.05 on my $87 purchase. Giant can't
> even come close. Look, HT has revived the grocery
> store in this region. I log on, make my list for
> the week on the VIC specials, send it to my
> handheld and shop with ease. I can plan the
> weekly menu this way too. Plus, the list is
> specific to the store, so it is organized
> according to the store layout. I'd like to see
> Giant do that.
>
> Now, ferfag, get back to work, clean up on aisle
> 5. Talking about slaves, you work for $10/hr at
> shit grocery stores.



Actually Jackhole Ive managed through coupons and non brand name food to save TONS more money than merely 35 a week. If you want to suck at the harris "TEET" then be my guest but YOU are the dipshit who is being robbed blind by brand loyalty. Oh and I dont have to work for the man till summer. Till then its eeeeeeasy sailing. Have fun slaving away.

ferfux Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Very Important Customer Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >>
> > Neither, dipshit. I just got back from the
> teet
> > and saved $35.05 on my $87 purchase. Giant
> can't
> > even come close. Look, HT has revived the
> grocery
> > store in this region. I log on, make my list
> for
> > the week on the VIC specials, send it to my
> > handheld and shop with ease. I can plan the
> > weekly menu this way too. Plus, the list is
> > specific to the store, so it is organized
> > according to the store layout. I'd like to see
> > Giant do that.
> >
> > Now, ferfag, get back to work, clean up on
> aisle
> > 5. Talking about slaves, you work for $10/hr
> at
> > shit grocery stores.
>
>
>
> Actually Jackhole Ive managed through coupons and
> non brand name food to save TONS more money than
> merely 35 a week. If you want to suck at the
> harris "TEET" then be my guest but YOU are the
> dipshit who is being robbed blind by brand
> loyalty. Oh and I dont have to work for the man
> till summer. Till then its eeeeeeasy sailing.
> Have fun slaving away.

who said anything about brnad named food - learn how to read!

Safeway all the way! Its way better and friendlier, and cleaner than Giant. I also like Harris Teeter, Food Lion, and Kroger's.

ferfux Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oh and I dont have to work for the man
> till summer. Till then its eeeeeeasy sailing.
> Have fun slaving away.

i like my job. it sounds like you need a better one.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

The newly remodeled Safeway does look better than the old institutional look they had with extra-bright flourescent lighting and crummy ceiling tiles. They are only missing self-serve lanes for the people who don't want to wait 15 minutes to buy a bottle of wine while standing behind 8 others in the one "express" lane they always seem to have open. -§

Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are the two most cleanest stores in the area.

Super H Mart in Fairfax is clean compared to other Asian stores in the area.

Worst safeway for customer service is in Centreville. Near 28.

Always a freaking wait in line there.

Kiev Wrote:
> Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are the two most cleanest stores in the area.

I'd add Balducci's to that list, in fact I'd put it at the top of the list. That place is great. Pricey, but top-notch quality across the board.

Giant has had worse waits in my experience, especially early evenings Friday and Saturday nights. They'll have one human at a register (plus the self-checkout lines), and that person will always be some kid that can't authorize an alcohol transation. Of course, those are the times everyone is stocking up for the weekend so the lines are s_l_o_w while the poor kid tries to flag down a manager for _every fucking transaction_ for the approval.

TheMeeper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Kiev Wrote:
> > Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are the two most
> cleanest stores in the area.
>
> I'd add Balducci's to that list, in fact I'd put
> it at the top of the list. That place is great.
> Pricey, but top-notch quality across the board.

I liked it better when it was Sutton Gourmet.

Recently I have found more expired products on shelfs there, which is not a good sign for the prices they charge :)

The worst service is the Giant in Kings Park. I was in line there one night just to buy some beer. It was Friday evening at 7 and only two lines were open and each stretched through the store. When I got near the front express line the guy just shut off his light and walked away. I put down what I considered enough to cover my beer and left. Kind of a self checkout with no scanner hassles.

Ugh, the Kings Park Giant. What a nightmare.

Giant at Kings Park was where everyone snagged their smokes... they had a vending machine in one of the automatic door passageways... no ID necessary, just pop in, pump in a couple of bucks, and be on your way. That was twenty years ago though.

I really like Magruder in Vienna, been going for years. I don't think any store beats Magruder pricewise.The produce is lesss spiffy then most anywhere else but less pricy too. It kind of reminds me of "The Grapes of Wrath." When not in Magruders I like Wholefoods which I still call Freshfields.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/2008 04:13PM by Rod.

Don't you mean Whole Paycheck?

Shoppers and Giant prices are about the same now.

Aldi has a gallon of milk this week for $1.59.